ABSTRACT
This chapter presents questions: How many Jews in Israel are religious, who are they, how does this religiosity express itself, and what role does religion play in the lives of Israelis. It attempts to interpret some of the findings in experiential dimension, despite the methodological flaws. The Jewish religion has an established ritual that covers every aspect of social and private behavior. In Israel, the most direct consequence of a religious stance is the approach to the issue of state and religion. There is a difference of opinion about how much public observance should/must be enforced in order to maintain the Jewish character of the state, without arousing open hostility. The lack of quantitative analysis of religious feeling might stem from the absence of emphasis on epiphany in the Jewish religion, which stresses the theological legalistic system and intellectual comprehension rather than emotional experience.
